9
Isijeziso Sika-Israyeli
1 Ungathokozi, we Israyeli;
ungajabuli njengezinye izizwe.
Ngoba ube ungathembekanga kuNkulunkulu wakho;
uthanda umholo wesifebe
ezizeni zonke zokubhulela.
2 Iziza lezikhamelo zewayini kakuyikunika abantu ukudla;
iwayini elitsha lizabehlulekisa.
3 Kabayikuhlala elizweni likaThixo;
u-Efrayimi uzabuyela eGibhithe
adle ukudla okungcolileyo e-Asiriya.
4 Kabayikuthululela iminikelo yewayini kuThixo,
lemihlatshelo yabo kayiyikumthokozisa.
Imihlatshelo enje kubo izakuba njengesinkwa sabalilayo;
bonke abayidlayo bazangcola.
Ukudla lokhu kuzakuba ngokwabo;
akuyikufika ethempelini likaThixo.
5 Lizakwenzani ngosuku lwemikhosi yenu emisiweyo,
ngensuku zamadili kaThixo na?
6 Lanxa bengaphunyuka ekubhujisweni,
iGibhithe izababutha,
njalo iMemfisi izabangcwaba.
Ingcebo yabo yesiliva izathathwa yimbabazane,
njalo ameva azagcwala emathenteni abo.
7 Insuku zokujeziswa ziyeza,
insuku zokwahlulelwa sezifikile.
U-Israyeli kumele akwazi lokhu.
Ngoba izono zenu zinengi kakhulu
lenzondo yenu inkulu kakhulu,
umphrofethi ubalwa njengesiwula
umuntu oholwa ngomoya enziwe njengohlanya.
8 Umphrofethi, ekanye loNkulunkulu wami,
ungumuntu olinda u-Efrayimi,
kodwa imijibila imlindele kuzozonke izindlela zakhe,
kanye lenzondo endlini kaNkulunkulu.
9 Batshone baphelela ekonakaleni,
njengasezinsukwini zaseGibhiya.
UNkulunkulu uzakukhumbula ukuxhwala kwabo
abajezisele izono zabo.
10 “Ekufumaneni kwami u-Israyeli
kwakunjengokuthola amagrebisi enkangala;
ekuboneni kwami okhokho benu,
kwakunjengokubona izithelo zakuqala zomkhiwa.
Kodwa ekufikeni kwabo kuBhali-Pheyori,
bazinikela kulesosithombe esihlazisayo
benyanyeka njengaleyonto ababeyithanda.
11 Udumo luka-Efrayimi luzaphapha luhambe njengenyoni,
akuyikuba lokuzala, lokukhulelwa, lokuthatha izisu.
12 Loba bangaze bondle abantwana,
ngizabemuka bonke.
Maye kubo,
lapho sengibadelile!
13 Ngimbonile u-Efrayimi, njengeThire,
ebekwe endaweni enhle.
Kodwa u-Efrayimi uzakhuphela
abantwana bakhe phandle kobulalayo.”
14 Baphe, Oh Thixo
uzabaphani na?
Baphe izibeletho eziphunzayo
lamabele angelalutho.
15 “Ngenxa yokuxhwala kwabo konke eGiligali,
ngabazonda khonale.
Ngenxa yezenzo zabo eziyizono,
ngizabaxotsha endlini yami.
Kangisayikubathanda futhi;
bonke abakhokheli babo bangabahlamuki.
16 U-Efrayimi udlekile,
impande zabo zomile,
kabatheli zithelo.
Loba bengazala abantwana,
ngizayibulala inzalo yabo abayithandayo.”
17 UNkulunkulu wami ubalile
ngoba kabamlalelanga;
bazakuba zinzulane phakathi kwezizwe.